In the 21st century, employee handbooks have gone from a convenient concept to a necessary business tool. However, your employee handbook is only as good as what is written in its pages. Addressing policies, procedures and other critical employment issues can protect...
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California Employment Law Blog
What Proposition 22 means for California’s contract workers
In 2019, California lawmakers passed Assembly Bill 5 (AB5). This bill targets companies that employ independent contractors to conduct their primary business. AB5 uses three new questions that set a different standard for classifying employees as independent...
Why written discipline records are so important to your business
When you catch a staff member cutting corners on paperwork, talking rudely to a client or co-worker, showing up late to work or otherwise failing to perform their job responsibilities, disciplinary action is necessary. Some managers will just verbally address the...
Wrongful termination and at-will employment
Many business owners find personnel decisions to be the hardest part of the business. It can be challenging to identify the ideal employee, and it can be even harder to tell the worker that their services are no longer desired. California is an at-will employment...
Are Employers Required to Provide or Pay for Facial Coverings? CAL/OSHA Says Yes!
A recent publication by Cal/OSHA states: “Employers must provide face coverings for workers or reimburse them for the reasonable costs of obtaining them.” But how accurate is this legal position? Under the California Labor Code’s health and safety provisions,...
COVID-19 Furloughs Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Employee Furloughs: Termination or Layoff? The COVID-19 pandemic has forced California employers to make a variety of difficult decisions on the whim. Among these decisions is whether to lay off or terminate employees who are furloughed as a result of California’s...
Updated Guidance on Responding to COVID-19 Outbreaks in the Workplace
On July 1, 2020, our firm posted information and guidance for employers in responding to COVID-19 outbreaks in the workplace. As individuals testing positive for COVID-19 in the workplace has become more prevalent, and as the Centers for Disease Control and...
California Publishes COVID-19 Employer Playbook for a Safe Reopening
Since some businesses are being permitted to open under strict guidelines, the question often arises, “How can I open my business while minimizing the adverse health impacts to my employees and customers as well as comply with the numerous ever-changing laws, orders,...
What should employers know about remote work?
For several months now, businesses throughout California and across the United States have struggled with social distancing and stay-at-home orders. One of the ways employers responded to these challenges was to allow their employees to work from home. Now, many of...
Protecting your business from wage and hour disputes
In recent years, employers and their pay policies have been under increased scrutiny. With the number of wage and hour lawsuits rapidly increasing every year—rates of these cases have risen over 400% since 1997—it is essential for you to know the law and proactively...